Swinging exerciser having movable weight

ABSTRACT

An exerciser includes a mounting base for engaging onto a user, and a stem having a housing which has a chamber to receive a weight. A spring member is coupled between the stem and the mounting base. The weight may be caused to move against the inner peripheral surface of the housing, when the user swinging the exerciser. The movement of the weight against the inner peripheral surface of the housing may apply force against the abdominal portion of the user periodically, in order to massage the user. A handle may be attached to the stem. The spring member may resiliently transmit the vibration to the mounting base for massaging the user.

The present invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 10/384,200, filed on 07 Mar. 2003, pending and tobe abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an exerciser, and more particularly toa swinging exerciser for training waist portion of user, and massagingabdominal portion of user.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various kinds of typical hula loops have been developed for training thewaist portions of users, and for massaging the abdominal portions of theusers. However, some people may not suitably operate the hula loops toswing and to massage their abdominal portions.

In addition, when the users have a pain in the back portion, the usersmay no longer use the hula loops to exercise their waist portions,because the hula loops may hurt their painful back portions.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,077,194 to Chang discloses one of the typical body twistexercising toys and includes a saucer attached to a mounting base with asupport arm, and a steel ball rotatably received in a receiving spacedefined in the saucer. However, the support arm is solid and may notresiliently couple the saucer to the mounting base, and may notresiliently massage the abdominal portions of users.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,488,614 to Chang discloses another typical cycle typewaist slimmer machine including a sheath attached to a pressure propunit with a piercing rod. However, similarly the piercing rod is solidand may not resiliently couple the sheath to the pressure prop unit, andalso may not resiliently massage the abdominal portions of users.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,500,102 to Domenge discloses a further typical inertialexerciser device including a weight rotatably received in a hoop whichincludes one or more straps for being carried by the users. The devicemay not be used to massage the abdominal portions of users.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,514,179 to Yu discloses a further typical rolling ballhand-shaking exerciser including a casing to be held by the hands of theusers, and a rolling ball received in the casing. However, the casingmay not be attached onto the abdominal portions of users and thus maynot resiliently massage the abdominal portions of users.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,719,675 to Yu discloses a further typical inertialrocking type exerciser device including a main body attached to anarcuate catch plate with a support rack. However, similarly, the supportrack is solid and may not resiliently couple the main body to the catchplate, and also may not resiliently massage the abdominal portions ofusers.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate theafore-described disadvantages of the conventional hula loops orexercisers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide anexerciser for allowing users to easily train their waist portions, and omassage their abdominal portions.

The other objective of the present invention is to provide an exerciserincluding a spring member for resiliently transmitting vibrations ontothe abdominal portion of the user and for comfortably massaging theuser's abdominal portion.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided anexerciser comprising a mounting base for engaging onto a user, a stemincluding a first end and including a second end having a housingprovided thereon, the housing including a chamber formed therein anddefined by an inner peripheral surface, a weight movably received in thechamber of the housing, the weight being caused to move against theinner peripheral surface of the housing when swinging the housing forgenerating a vibration, and a spring member coupled between the mountingbase and the first end of the stem for resiliently transmitting thevibration to the mounting base and for massaging the user.

The stem includes a hollow passage formed therein and communicating withthe chamber of the housing. The stem includes a neck portion providedthereon and disposed between the stem and the housing. The mounting baseincludes a curved surface formed therein for engaging with the user.

A handle may further be provided and attached to the stem. The handleincludes a hollow passage formed therein, and the stem includes a hollowpassage formed therein and communicating with the hollow passage of thehandle.

The handle includes at least one neck portion provided thereon anddisposed between the handle and the housing. The handle includes ahollow passage formed therein and communicating with the chamber of thehousing.

The weight includes a core, and an outer covering provided on the core.The outer covering of the weight includes an outer peripheral portionhaving a plurality of cavities and projections formed thereon.

A counting device may be used for counting movement of the weightrelative to the housing, and includes a processor unit, and a switchcoupled to the processor unit and extended into the chamber of thehousing to engage with the weight when the weight moves across theswitch. A display may further be provided and coupled to the processorunit.

The stem includes an outer thread provided on the first end thereof forthreading with the spring member. The mounting base includes a shankhaving an outer thread for threading with the spring member.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from a careful reading of the detailed description providedhereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exerciser in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan schematic view illustrating the operation of theexerciser.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exerciser10 in accordance with the present invention comprises a mounting base 11provided for engaging onto, the abdominal portion of a user 80 (FIG. 3),and the mounting base 11 preferably includes a curved recess or surface12 formed therein for comfortably engaging onto the abdominal portion ofthe user 80, and includes a shank 13 extended from the mounting base 11and having an outer thread 14 formed or provided on the shank 13.

The exerciser 10 further includes a frame 20 having a central orlongitudinal stem 21 and having an outer thread 22 formed or provided onone end 23 of the stem 21 for threading or engaging with a spring member30, such as a coil spring member 30, in which the spring member 30includes one or more inner threads 31 formed or provided therein forthreading or engaging with the outer threads 14, 22 of the shank 13 andthe stem 21 and thus for resiliently coupling the shank 13 and the stem21 together.

The frame 20 includes a U-shaped handle 24 or one or more handgrips 24attached or formed or provided on the stem 21 for being held or graspedby the users, and includes a housing 40 provided on the other end 26 ofthe stem 21. Each of the stem 21 and the handle or the handgrips 24includes a hollow interior or passage 25 formed therein, and the hollowinteriors or passages 25 of the stem 21 and the handle or the handgrips24 are preferably communicating with each other.

The housing 40 is preferably spherical having a chamber 41, such as acircular or spherical chamber 41 formed therein and defined by an innerperipheral surface 42 and communicating with the passages 25 of the stem21 and the handle 24 or the handgrips 24. The stem 21 and the handle 24and the housing 40 may be formed by such as molding or blow moldingprocesses. It is preferable that a reduced diameter portion or neckportion 43 is formed between the housing 40 and the stem 21 and thehandgrips 24 or the handle 24.

A weight 50 is movably received in the chamber 41 of the housing 40, andincludes a core 51 made of heavier materials, such as metal, and anouter covering 52 provided on the outer peripheral portion of the core51 with such as molding or mold injection processes. It is preferablethat the weight 50 includes one or more grooves or cavities 54 and/orprojections 55 formed or provided on the outer peripheral portion of theouter cover 52 for generating vibrations when the weight 50 is movedagainst the inner peripheral surface 42 of the housing 40.

It is to be noted that the weight 50 may be formed and disposed within amold cavity of a mold device (not shown) before blow molding the stem 21and the housing 40. Alternatively, the stem 21 and the housing 40 and/orthe handgrips 24 may include two half members that are first formed, andthen dispose the weight 50 into the chamber 41 of the housing 40, andthen secure or mold the two half members of the stem 21 and the housing40 and/or the handgrips 24 together.

In operation, as shown in FIG. 3, the user may hold the exerciser bygrasping the handgrips 24 or the handle 24, or by grasping the stem 21,and may then engage the mounting base 11 with the user's abdominalportion, the chest portion, or the other portions. The user may thenswing his body in order to move the weight 50 along or against the innerperipheral surface 42 of the housing 40, and to train his waist portionor to massage his abdominal portion.

When the weight 50 is moved or rotated against the inner peripheralsurface 42 of the housing 40, the weight 50 may apply forces against theabdominal portion, the chest portion, or the other, portions of the userperiodically in order to massage the user. In addition, the engagementof the projections 55 of the weight 50 with the inner peripheral surface42 of the housing 40 may generate vibrations in order to further massagethe abdominal portion, the chest portion, or the other portions of theuser.

The vibrations generated by the engagement of the projections 55 of theweight 50 with the inner peripheral surface 42 of the housing 40 maythen be resiliently transmitted to the abdominal portion, the chestportion, or the other portions of the user with the spring member 30,and may further be used to suitably or comfortably massage the abdominalportion, the chest portion, or the other portions of the user. Thespring member 30 may prevent the force or the vibrations from beingdirectly impacted onto the user.

As shown in FIG. 2, a circuit board 60 may further be disposed withinthe handgrips 24 or the housing 40 or the stem 21, and includes aprocessor device 61 attached thereto, one or more batteries 63 providedthereon and coupled to the processor device 61, and a probe or switch 64attached thereon. The switch 64 includes a button 66 slightly extendedinto the chamber 41 of the housing 40, for engaging with the weight 50,and for counting the rotational movements of the weight 50 relative tothe housing 40.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a display 67 may further be provided anddisposed on the stem 21 or the handgrips 24 or the housing 40, andcoupled to the processor device 61, for displaying time, and/or thecounts or the number of the rotational movements of the weight 50relative to the housing 40. The batteries 63 may be used to energize theprocessor device 61, the display 67, and/or the other electrical partsor elements (not shown).

Accordingly, the exerciser in accordance with the present invention maybe used for allowing users to easily train their waist portions, and tomassage their abdominal portions, and includes a spring member forresiliently transmitting vibrations onto the abdominal portion of theuser and for comfortably massaging the user's abdominal portion.

Although this invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure hasbeen made by way of example only and that numerous changes in thedetailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as hereinafter claimed.

1. An exerciser comprising: a mounting base for engaging onto a user, a stem including a first end and including a second end having a housing provided thereon, said housing including a chamber formed therein and defined by an inner peripheral surface, a weight movably received in said chamber of said housing, said weight being caused to move against said inner peripheral surface of said housing when swinging said housing for generating a vibration, and a spring member coupled between said mounting base and said first end of said stem for resiliently transmitting the vibration to said mounting base and for massaging the user.
 2. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stem includes a hollow passage formed therein and communicating with said chamber of said housing.
 3. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stem includes a neck portion provided thereon and disposed between said stem and said housing.
 4. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting base includes a curved surface formed therein for engaging with the user.
 5. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a handle attached to said stem.
 6. The exerciser as claimed in claim 5, wherein said handle includes a hollow passage formed therein, and said stem includes a hollow passage formed therein and communicating with said hollow passage of said handle.
 7. The exerciser as claimed in claim 5, wherein said handle includes at least one neck portion provided thereon and disposed between said handle and said housing.
 8. The exerciser as claimed in claim 5, wherein said handle includes a hollow passage formed therein and communicating with said chamber of said housing.
 9. The exerciser as, claimed in claim 1, wherein said weight includes a core, and an outer covering provided on said core.
 10. The exerciser as claimed in claim 9, wherein said outer covering of said weight includes an outer peripheral portion having a plurality of cavities and projections formed thereon.
 11. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for counting movement of said weight relative to said housing.
 12. The exerciser as claimed in claim 11, wherein said counting means includes a processor unit, and a switch coupled to said processor unit and extended into said chamber of said housing to engage with said weight when said weight moves across said switch.
 13. The exerciser as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a display coupled to said processor unit.
 14. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stem includes an outer thread provided on said first end thereof for threading with said spring member.
 15. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting base includes a shank having an outer thread for threading with said spring member. 